May 16, 2017
Back in 2010, I had the opportunity to talk with then Canadian Trade Minister Stockwell Day regarding what was at the time a contentious issue between Canada and our neighbor to the south. I am of course talking about the swirling controversy regarding the Buy American legislation that according to the Minister had more to […]
March 3, 2016
“Untendered contracts increase the risk of impropriety in procurement,” Ricard said, describing single-source contracts as a type of “higher risk” transaction. – from March 1st, 2015 CBC New article $85M contract with Manitoba Hydro was not tendered While Provincial auditor general Norm Ricard acknowledged that he had not evaluated the $85 million contract between Manitoba Hydro and Tetra […]
June 29, 2011
In April 2010 I delivered a keynote on transparency in public sector procurement to senior government executives in Washington, D.C. at the 3rd Annual Business of Government Summit. Given this week’s focus on procurement in the public sector, I thought that a replay of our audio synchronized PowerPoint would be very interesting given the nature of the […]
April 2, 2011
Discriminatory or preferential procurement practices can take several explicit forms, including “outright exclusion” in which foreign bidders are excluded from the tendering process (for example, defense contracts are often, but not always, reserved for domestic suppliers). Under “preferential price margin,” purchasing entities accept the bids of domestic suppliers over foreign suppliers as long as the […]
May 31, 2010
OTTAWA – Public Works and Government Services Canada ordered an investigation into the contracts awarded to an Ottawa real estate consulting firm following allegations of its close relationship with the senior bureaucrat who manages the government’s real estate holdings. from “Probe ordered into contracts with consultant by Kathryn May, Ottawa Citizen (February 2nd, 2010) As […]
February 5, 2010
In the October 1st, 2009 Procurement Insights post titled “Buy American Policy: Economic Imperative or Popular Opinion,” I provided an excerpt from my interview with Canada’s Trade Minister Stockwell Day regarding the basis for the Buy American policy. It was of course the Minister’s expressed belief that popular American opinion surrounding protectionism was the basis […]
February 5, 2010
Last evening Judy Bradt contacted me suggesting that we bump our scheduled 3rd segment in the 7-Part “Seven Steps To Success” Series on winning government contracts. According to Judy, a Washington-based expert author on government contracting practices, the Canadian Government will announce today: A BAA waiver on the remaining stimulus money and, a Canadian “sign-on” […]
My Most Memorable Radio Segments
September 7, 2017
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Isn’t it funny that you do not realize how quickly and imperceptibly time slips away? You blink, and your newborn baby girl is suddenly twelve and talking about boys. By the way, to all prospective suitors, I carry in my trunk at all times a shovel and a bag of lye – just saying. Anyway, […]